MAGNALIA HOUSE
The Dowager of Magnalia
Magnalia’s Arials:
Solene Severin, mistress of art
Evelina Baudin, mistress of music
Xavier Allard, master of dramatics
Therese Berger, mistress of wit
Cartier Évariste, master of knowledge
Magnalia’s Ardens:
Oriana DuBois, arden of art
Merei Labelle, arden of music
Abree Cavey, arden of dramatics
Sibylle Fontaine, arden of wit
Ciri Montagne, arden of knowledge
Brienna Colbert, arden of knowledge
Others Who Visit Magnalia:
Francis, courier
Rolf Paquet, Brienna’s grandfather
Monique Lavoie, patron
Nicolas Babineaux, patron
Brice Mathieu, patron
JOURDAIN HOUSE
Aldéric Jourdain
Luc Jourdain
Amadine Jourdain
Jean David, lackey and coachman
Agnes Cote, chamberlain
Pierre Faure, chef
Liam O’Brian, thane
Others Involved with Jourdain
Hector Laurent (Braden Kavanagh)
Yseult Laurent (Isolde Kavanagh)
Theo d’Aramitz (Aodhan Morgane)
ALLENACH HOUSE
Brendan Allenach, lord
Rian Allenach, firstborn son
Sean Allenach, second-born son
Others Mentioned
Gilroy Lannon, king of Maevana
Liadan Kavanagh, the first queen of Maevana
Tristan Allenach
Norah Kavanagh, third-born princess of Maevana
Evan Berne, printmaker
THE FOURTEEN HOUSES OF MAEVANA
Allenach the Shrewd
Kavanagh the Bright*
Burke the Elder
Lannon the Fierce
Carran the Courageous
MacBran the Merciful
Dermott the Loved
MacCarey the Just
Dunn the Wise
MacFinley the Pensive
Fitzsimmons the Gentle
MacQuinn the Steadfast*
Halloran the Upright
Morgane the Swift*
*Denotes a fallen House
Midsummer 1559 Province of Angelique, Kingdom of Valenia
Magnalia House was the sort of establishment where only wealthy, talented girls mastered their passion. It wasn’t designed for girls who were lacking, for girls who were illegitimate daughters, and certainly not for girls who defied kings. I, of course, happen to be all three of those things.
I was ten years old when my grandfather first took me to Magnalia. Not only was it the hottest day of summer, an afternoon for bloated clouds and short tempers, it was the day I decided to ask the question that had haunted me ever since I had been placed in the orphanage.
“Grandpapa, who is my father?”
My grandfather sat on the opposite bench, his eyes heavy from the heat until my inquiry startled him. He was a proper man, a good yet very private man. Because of that, I believed he was ashamed of me—the
